1Our pick · The all-in-one local AI assistant
Typilot.
The only entry on this list that does voice plus typing, polish, meetings, notes, and 27 inline AI commands - all locally, on macOS, Windows, and Linux. No cloud round-trip. Lifetime license option. Disclosure: we built it - that is why it is at the top.
2
Superwhisper
Best-in-class local Whisper dictation for Mac, Windows, and iOS - voice-only but exceptionally mature.
Pros
- +Fully local Whisper transcription - audio never leaves the device at any step
- +Excellent iOS app for on-the-go dictation, syncing with Mac
- +Mature support for large Whisper variants (large-v3)
- +Free tier plus $8.49/mo or $249 lifetime option
Cons
- −Voice dictation only - no app-aware formatting, inline AI commands, meetings, or notes
- −No Linux or Android app
- −No hands-free voice correction equivalent to DictaFlow
3
Wispr Flow
Polished cloud voice dictation with SOC 2 + HIPAA - the most compliance-ready option in the category.
Pros
- +Mature, polished voice UX refined over many releases
- +SOC 2 Type II + HIPAA-ready for regulated industries
- +Optional Privacy Mode - no audio or transcript retained on servers after processing
- +Available on macOS, Windows, and iPhone
Cons
- −Cloud-only - audio leaves your machine every time, unlike DictaFlow local mode
- −Subscription only at $15/mo - more than twice DictaFlow price, no lifetime option
- −No Linux, no Android
- −Voice dictation only - no app-aware context, inline AI commands, or meetings
4
Spokenly
Free local Whisper and Parakeet dictation on Mac, Windows, and iPhone - BYOK for AI formatting.
Pros
- +Completely free to use - no subscription, no word-count cap
- +Local Whisper and Parakeet models - audio stays on device
- +Mac, Windows, and iPhone support
- +BYOK for optional AI formatting with your own API keys, no Spokenly markup
Cons
- −Newer and less mature than Superwhisper or DictaFlow
- −Parakeet is English-only; switch to Whisper for other languages
- −No app-aware formatting, no hands-free correction, no meetings or notes layer
5
Aqua Voice
Cloud dictation tuned for coding vocabulary - BYOK model routing for developers who accept cloud.
Pros
- +Avalon model tuned for coding terms, AI prompts, and technical vocabulary - stronger than Whisper on code
- +BYOK: route to GPT-4o Transcribe, Deepgram Nova, or Groq at zero markup
- +iOS plus Mac and Windows support
- +SOC 2 Type II compliance
Cons
- −Cloud-only - no local transcription mode, unlike DictaFlow which defaults to local Whisper
- −No Linux or Android app
- −$8/mo subscription, no lifetime option
- −No app-aware context detection or hands-free correction
6
Handy
Free open-source local dictation for Mac, Windows, and Linux - the only free local pick across all three platforms.
Pros
- +Free and open source
- +Local Whisper transcription - audio stays on device
- +Mac, Windows, and Linux support
- +No subscription, no account required
Cons
- −Less polished UX than DictaFlow or Superwhisper
- −No app-aware context, no voice correction, no AI polish or meeting layer
- −Community-maintained with limited commercial support
Free (open source)
7
MacWhisper
Mac-only local Whisper front-end, cheap lifetime price, excellent for batch audio file transcription.
Pros
- +Local Whisper inference, one-time price from $59
- +Best-in-class batch transcription of pre-recorded audio files (drag and drop folders)
- +Mature support for large-v3 and distil-large-v3 models
- +Tiny install footprint
Cons
- −Mac-only - no Windows, Linux, iOS, or Android
- −Voice and transcription only - no app-aware context, AI polish, or meeting recap